Updated report shows blaze is zero percent contained
CHENEY - The incoming incident management team hired to oversee Gray Fire response doesn't expect to have the blaze contained until Aug. 30.
In an update on the fire released at 8 p.m. Saturday night, Aug. 19, the team reported the fire is 0% (zero percent) contained, burning in dry timber, 2.5-foot-tall grass and brush.
The team said the fire is believed to have burned 9,500 acres; 234 firefighters have been assigned to the blaze.
Because of smoke, only one helitack team was visible near the fireline today; fixed-wing aircraft were not able to fly due to a lack of visibility.
The team will be under the command of Braden Britt and Deputy Cmdr. Tom Merritt when it takes over management at 6 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 20. The command center and fire camp are set up at Cheney Middle School, 740 W. Betz Road.
Evacuations are recommended in several areas near Cheney and Tyler because of some active fire areas and the potential for growth, due to changing weather conditions.
Many Medical Lake residents evacuated Friday afternoon; some returned home today.
More than 185 homes burned in the area of Silver Lake, Clear Lake, south Medical Lake and Salnave Road. Most of Medical Lake from the middle school downtown to the high school were unscathed.
Several homes behind Hallett Elementary School burned, but the actual school building appears to have suffered little damage. The school is scheduled to host an open house Aug. 28 for students, teachers and parents to meet prior to the start of the 2023-24 school year.
Medical Lake School District officials were unable to be reached today to discuss any Gray Fire-related impact on the upcoming school year.
Roger Harnack is the owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Having grown up Benton City, Roger is an award-winning journalist, columnist, photographer, editor and publisher. He's one of only two editorial/commentary writers from Washington state to ever receive the international Golden Quill. Roger is dedicated to the preservation of local media, and the voice it retains for Eastern Washington.
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